This Creamy Linguine with Cilantro Chicken is a very delicious recipe. The dish has a wonderful flavor combination of onion, red bell pepper, garlic and cilantro. It is surprisingly creamy, with crunchy peppers and just a hint of heat.
We all have our recipes that come back to the table on a regular basis. This is one of mine. It is not a weekly occurrence, but it is one of the recipes that I’ll serve to friends and family and always receive high praise. I believe it is the creaminess, the cilantro and the hint of heat that makes this Creamy Linguine with Cilantro Chicken special.
There 4 steps involved in this pasta dish:
We 1. marinade, 2. saute, 3. make sauce and cook pasta and 4. mix and enjoy.
Step 1 is to marinate the chicken; it is not a traditional marinade, but it does help the chicken to soak up some of the flavors. The marinade consists of olive oil, chopped cilantro and salt and pepper. Marinade the chicken at least for a couple of hours or longer; I usually soak the chicken overnight. This recipe has the nick name ‘soak the chicken’ in my house, it seems clear why.
Step 2 involves the sauteing of the vegetables; the red bell pepper, the onion, the garlic and half a hot pepper. Don’t saute them longer than necessary. The pepper should still be crunchy. When the veggies are done, keep them warm and then saute the chicken. No oil needed because the chicken marinated in oil. Saute the chicken until it is done, not longer, it can only become dry when cooking too long.
Step 3 is making the creamy cheese sauce and cooking the pasta al dente. The cheese sauce is really simple, add cream to the skillet, yes, you’re still working with that same skillet, and simmer it for a few minutes with half a hot pepper. Then add grated cheese to is and melt the cheese. I used Just Jack cheese; this is a creamy tasting cheese that melts very easily and does not make the sauce heavy. Cook the pasta while making the sauce; I used linguine, but any other shape will do. As you will see in the recipe, I do not use a lot of pasta, the veggies and chicken in the sauce is so much more important than the pasta that I like give that a little more weight.
Step 4 is to combine all mixture into the skillet. Start with discarding the hot peppers and then gently mix the vegetables, chicken and pasta with the sauce. Taste, add some salt and pepper and serve this delicious Creamy Linguine with Cilantro Chicken.
Creamy Linguine with Cilantro Chicken
Ingredients
- 8 ounces chicken breast without skin
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cilantro
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 garlic
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 3 ounces linguine pasta
- 4 ounces Just Jack cheese
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cut the chicken in strips, wash the cilantro and chop it. Place chicken in a bowl and add chopped cilantro, with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper. Mix and refrigerate for a couple of hours or even overnight.
- Slice the onion, cut the bell pepper in similar shape, mince the garlic and half the jalapeno pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet and add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and half the jalapeno pepper; saute until just tender. Transfer vegetables to a bowl and keep warm.
- Add chicken to skillet and saute over high heat until cooked through. Add chicken to bowl of vegetables and keep warm.
- Cook pasta according to directions on the packaging until al dente and drain.
- Add cream and the other half of jalapeno pepper to skillet and simmer for a few minutes. Grate Just Jack cheese and add to cream and allow to cheese to melt.
- Add chicken/vegetables mixture to skillet. Discard both halves of Jalapeno pepper and add pasta to skillet. Toss to coat pasta with sauce.
- Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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